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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead user research to enhance digital products and customer experiences.
- Company: Join a digitally focused organisation prioritising customer experience and accessibility.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, flexible hybrid work, and excellent benefits.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in shaping user-driven digital experiences and mentoring researchers.
- Qualifications: Strong background in user-centred research and leadership experience required.
- Other info: This is a 12-month fixed-term contract with significant growth opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 65000 - 75000 £ per year.
Job Description
User Research Lead – Digital Products & Customer Experience (12-month FTC)
Location: Hybrid (Manchester, 3 days onsite)
Salary: £65,000 – £75,000 + Excellent Benefits Package
Are you passionate about delivering customer-first digital experiences through insight-driven research?
We're looking for a User Research Lead to head up research efforts across a range of online products and services, ensuring user needs are at the heart of every design decision.
This is a fantastic 12-month fixed-term opportunity to join a well-established, digitally focused organisation where customer experience and accessibility are front and centre. You'll help shape product strategy, mentor researchers, and embed user-centred thinking across teams.
The Role:
- Lead and mentor a small team of user researchers, encouraging collaboration, continuous learning, and research excellence.
- Drive user research strategies that uncover actionable insights and influence product, design, and business decisions.
- Ensure consistency in research approaches and findings across multiple digital products and services.
- Champion inclusive design by embedding accessibility research and working with users of diverse abilities.
- Work closely with stakeholders in product, design, engineering, and brand to integrate research into every stage of development.
- Encourage innovative methods and experimentation in research practices.
- Facilitate workshops, journey mapping, and research critiques to foster alignment and drive optimisation.
- Align research priorities with strategic goals to deliver maximum impact across customer journeys.
What You'll Bring:
- Strong background in user-centred research with experience in both qualitative and quantitative methods.
- Previous leadership or management experience in a research setting.
- Proficiency with tools such as UserTesting, Hotjar, or similar usability and survey platforms.
- Solid understanding of digital accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG) and inclusive research practices.
- Experience working with cross-functional teams in an Agile or product-led environment.
- Ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights for technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Familiarity with design systems and their relationship to research and usability standards.
- Confident communicator and stakeholder manager, able to balance business needs with user priorities.
Why Apply?
- Join a user-driven culture focused on meaningful digital experiences
- Shape research direction across multiple high-impact digital products
- Enjoy a flexible hybrid working model and collaborative environment
- Access a competitive salary and well-rounded benefits
- Make a real impact in a senior, fixed-term leadership role
This is a fantastic opportunity to be part of a business that is experiencing significant growth and investing in its future success. If you have the skills and experience outlined above, then please apply with an updted CV.
Please note: This role requires all candidates to have no current or future requirement for sponsorship to work in the UK.
Role: User Research Lead – Digital Products & Customer Experience (12-month FTC)
Location: Hybrid (Manchester, 3 days onsite)
Salary: £65,000 – £75,000 + Excellent Benefits Package
User Research Lead employer: Nextech
Contact Detail:
Nextech Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land User Research Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the latest trends in user research methodologies. Being well-versed in both qualitative and quantitative methods will not only enhance your understanding but also demonstrate your expertise during discussions with our team.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your leadership skills by preparing examples of how you've successfully mentored or led a team in previous roles. We value collaboration and continuous learning, so highlighting these experiences can set you apart.
✨Tip Number 3
Research our current digital products and services to understand our user experience philosophy. This knowledge will help you align your insights with our strategic goals and demonstrate your commitment to our customer-first approach.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss how you would champion inclusive design and accessibility in your role. We are looking for someone who can integrate these principles into research practices, so having concrete ideas ready will be beneficial.
We think you need these skills to ace User Research Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in user-centred research, particularly focusing on both qualitative and quantitative methods. Emphasise any leadership roles you've held and your proficiency with relevant tools like UserTesting or Hotjar.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for delivering customer-first digital experiences. Mention specific examples of how you've driven user research strategies that influenced product decisions and improved user experiences.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: Since the role involves mentoring a team, include examples of how you've led or managed teams in the past. Highlight your ability to encourage collaboration and continuous learning among researchers.
Demonstrate Understanding of Accessibility: Given the emphasis on inclusive design, make sure to mention your knowledge of digital accessibility standards (like WCAG) and any experience you have working with diverse user groups. This will show your commitment to championing inclusive research practices.
How to prepare for a job interview at Nextech
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a User Research Lead, you'll be expected to mentor and lead a team. Be prepared to discuss your previous leadership experiences, how you foster collaboration, and the ways you've encouraged continuous learning in your teams.
✨Demonstrate Your Research Expertise
Highlight your proficiency in both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Be ready to share specific examples of how your research has influenced product design and business decisions in the past.
✨Emphasise Accessibility Knowledge
Given the focus on inclusive design, make sure to discuss your understanding of digital accessibility standards like WCAG. Share any relevant experiences where you’ve embedded accessibility into research practices.
✨Prepare for Stakeholder Engagement
You'll need to communicate complex data to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Practice explaining your research findings in a clear and actionable way, and think about how you can balance user needs with business priorities.
